Coheed and Cambrias latest album, Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through The Eyes of Madness, continues the story that they have been creating with their concept albums. I got a chance to talk with bassist Mike Todd.
Check out the official site for Coheed and Cambria
Daniel Robert Epstein: What are you up to today?
Mike Todd: Weve got a show. Yesterday was a day off and Im laying in my hotel bed trying to peel myself out.
DRE: Whatd you do on your day off?
MT: Were in Norfolk, Virginia. I hung out with my homie Josh, had a couple cocktails down at the bar and looked at the water. I just took it easy.
DRE: Was there any talk of not doing a concept album again?
MT: I think at this point thats what we do. We got quite a bit of the story all mapped out. Weve got another album or two before we finish up the story completely and then were going to see what were going to do after that.
DRE: Do you guys all work on the story together?
MT: No, Claudio is the writer of the story. We work on the rock and roll together.
DRE: Does he explain the story to you?
MT: He doesnt really. That doesnt come into play during the writing of the songs or anything so its not really necessary. But sometimes when were sitting around working on shit, well talk about it sometimes. Im not really caught up on everything thats going on.
DRE: Do you not want to know?
MT: Well I know where its going but a lot of the details are still being hammered out. I get it for the most part but theres a lot of it still being done.
DRE: How does the comic book help you out?
MT: It doesnt really have an affect, its just for my personal gratification.
DRE: I read that you guys were having like a frustrating time in the studio last year in 2005 so you all went to see Star Wars.
MT: I dont remember that. [laughs] We did have a little bit of a frustrating time in the studio but I dont remember us all going to see Star Wars. Those crazy little facts about us just arent true. I dont even think I saw the last Star Wars anyway.
DRE: What was the frustration about?
MT: It was over was close quarters and we are pretty secluded where we choose to record and that can drive some cats nuts. I like the solitude of being in the woods and stuff but some of the other cats are more city grown fellows. It can be kind of maddening.
DRE: Where do you guys record?
MT: We recorded the last two albums and mixed all three at Applehead, its a farm near Woodstock.
DRE: Thats cool.
MT: Tell me about it, I love it.
DRE: What is does being so secluded do for you?
MT: Touring as much as we do and being in the big city all the time makes me want to be here in the quiet with birds and stuff like that, it makes me organic again.
DRE: What inspires you musically?
MT: Whatever gives me that rush. With the live shows I love that feeling I get walking out on stage and playing good music, playing with the cats that I love playing music with. It was the same thing that made me want to be in a rock band when I was a kid. The same shit that made me want to dance around my room pretending I was in a band.
DRE: What kind of groupies does Coheed get?
MT: Were really not too much of a recording band so we dont really have top tens or anything like that. But therell be some groupies here and there. Theyre pretty fucking odd for the most part. Weve got to revamp our groupie repertoire.
DRE: [laughs] I spoke to Josh Eppard last year. Do you have anything like what he does with Weerd Science?
MT: A little bit. Its not as serious as what hes got though I write music but I just havent done anything with it yet.
DRE: Is it radically different from Coheed?
MT: I dont know if mine is that different. It is definitely more folky than anything.
DRE: Do you ever plan on doing anything with it?
MT: Oh Im sure I will but its just a matter of buckling down when were off tour and doing the work.
DRE: Whats been the best part of the tour so far?
MT: Everybody on the tour is awesome and that helps a lot. Ive enjoyed watching the other bands sets every night and that always helps. Im loving it, so Im pretty comfortable.
DRE: How has this tour been different from previous tours?
MT: For us we got quite an elaborate stage setup with a moving drum riser and shit like that. Also we have a huge theater screen behind us that projects images. Then we have these little evil looking stage props, one is like 16 feet tall and grows wings and shit. Its some pretty wild shit to look at and we have a good mix of songs, some that we havent played in a long time.
DRE: Would you guys love for Coheed to be a huge popular band?
MT: I always want it to get bigger but in the right way but I also like the people that get what were doing. I wouldnt want the band growing huge for the wrong reasons but I definitely wouldnt mind growing as a band for the right reasons like we are.
DRE: Have you met any SuicideGirls on the tour yet?
MT: No, I havent met any SuicideGirls on tour yet. Whats up with that?
by Daniel Robert Epstein
SG Username: AndersWolleck
Check out the official site for Coheed and Cambria
Daniel Robert Epstein: What are you up to today?
Mike Todd: Weve got a show. Yesterday was a day off and Im laying in my hotel bed trying to peel myself out.
DRE: Whatd you do on your day off?
MT: Were in Norfolk, Virginia. I hung out with my homie Josh, had a couple cocktails down at the bar and looked at the water. I just took it easy.
DRE: Was there any talk of not doing a concept album again?
MT: I think at this point thats what we do. We got quite a bit of the story all mapped out. Weve got another album or two before we finish up the story completely and then were going to see what were going to do after that.
DRE: Do you guys all work on the story together?
MT: No, Claudio is the writer of the story. We work on the rock and roll together.
DRE: Does he explain the story to you?
MT: He doesnt really. That doesnt come into play during the writing of the songs or anything so its not really necessary. But sometimes when were sitting around working on shit, well talk about it sometimes. Im not really caught up on everything thats going on.
DRE: Do you not want to know?
MT: Well I know where its going but a lot of the details are still being hammered out. I get it for the most part but theres a lot of it still being done.
DRE: How does the comic book help you out?
MT: It doesnt really have an affect, its just for my personal gratification.
DRE: I read that you guys were having like a frustrating time in the studio last year in 2005 so you all went to see Star Wars.
MT: I dont remember that. [laughs] We did have a little bit of a frustrating time in the studio but I dont remember us all going to see Star Wars. Those crazy little facts about us just arent true. I dont even think I saw the last Star Wars anyway.
DRE: What was the frustration about?
MT: It was over was close quarters and we are pretty secluded where we choose to record and that can drive some cats nuts. I like the solitude of being in the woods and stuff but some of the other cats are more city grown fellows. It can be kind of maddening.
DRE: Where do you guys record?
MT: We recorded the last two albums and mixed all three at Applehead, its a farm near Woodstock.
DRE: Thats cool.
MT: Tell me about it, I love it.
DRE: What is does being so secluded do for you?
MT: Touring as much as we do and being in the big city all the time makes me want to be here in the quiet with birds and stuff like that, it makes me organic again.
DRE: What inspires you musically?
MT: Whatever gives me that rush. With the live shows I love that feeling I get walking out on stage and playing good music, playing with the cats that I love playing music with. It was the same thing that made me want to be in a rock band when I was a kid. The same shit that made me want to dance around my room pretending I was in a band.
DRE: What kind of groupies does Coheed get?
MT: Were really not too much of a recording band so we dont really have top tens or anything like that. But therell be some groupies here and there. Theyre pretty fucking odd for the most part. Weve got to revamp our groupie repertoire.
DRE: [laughs] I spoke to Josh Eppard last year. Do you have anything like what he does with Weerd Science?
MT: A little bit. Its not as serious as what hes got though I write music but I just havent done anything with it yet.
DRE: Is it radically different from Coheed?
MT: I dont know if mine is that different. It is definitely more folky than anything.
DRE: Do you ever plan on doing anything with it?
MT: Oh Im sure I will but its just a matter of buckling down when were off tour and doing the work.
DRE: Whats been the best part of the tour so far?
MT: Everybody on the tour is awesome and that helps a lot. Ive enjoyed watching the other bands sets every night and that always helps. Im loving it, so Im pretty comfortable.
DRE: How has this tour been different from previous tours?
MT: For us we got quite an elaborate stage setup with a moving drum riser and shit like that. Also we have a huge theater screen behind us that projects images. Then we have these little evil looking stage props, one is like 16 feet tall and grows wings and shit. Its some pretty wild shit to look at and we have a good mix of songs, some that we havent played in a long time.
DRE: Would you guys love for Coheed to be a huge popular band?
MT: I always want it to get bigger but in the right way but I also like the people that get what were doing. I wouldnt want the band growing huge for the wrong reasons but I definitely wouldnt mind growing as a band for the right reasons like we are.
DRE: Have you met any SuicideGirls on the tour yet?
MT: No, I havent met any SuicideGirls on tour yet. Whats up with that?
by Daniel Robert Epstein
SG Username: AndersWolleck
VIEW 15 of 15 COMMENTS
daveglss79828 said:
this band is not prog rock... check out porcupine tree or meshugga for REAL prog rock...
ummm,before you start talking about prog learn to spell